Polar Explorers Lonnie Dupre and Eric Larsen send daily dispatches during their unprecedented four-month journey to
the North Pole and back. The expedition team will pull and paddle specially modified canoes across nearly 1,000
miles of shifting sea ice and open ocean. Their objective is to complete the first ever summer expedition
to the North Pole and to highlight the growing issues surrounding global warming.
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Life on the Ice
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May 27, 2006
sunny (1 hour) cloudy, 25 F, 10.6 nautical miles
Right away we labeled the day's travels as a dirty slog. The rest of the day seemed to live up to its moniker. Traversing pressure ridges and leads most of the day in low contrast conditions was laborious at best.
It is a bit awkward not knowing a snowdrift is ahead until you are tripping over the incline. We pushed on as best we could for 10 long hours, our longest travel day thus far.
In other unrelated news, the arctic fox seemed to be paired up and wandering near. It was the second set of dual fox tracks we have seen.
We are now traveling almost directly east of the magnetic north pole and have set an 85 degree west declination to our compass. It seems weird to have the red north needle on our compass point to the west. Equally troubling is the amount of time it takes for the needle to settle. It fluctates back and forth for quite a while until we can shoot an accurate bearing toward true north and the top of the world.
It will be Saturday night when most of you read this. Please have a fun and safe Memorial weekend for us. If we were home in Grand Marais, Minn., what would we do? Perhaps an Uffda-za at Sven and Ole's Pizza, then casually mosey over to the Gunflint Tavern for live music and a pint. But alas, the only way for us is to keep north.
The World Conservation Union (IUCN) has moved the polar bear to its Red List of Threatened Species, classifying the species as 'vulnerable' to extinction. Have you added your name to help get the polar bear listed as a threatened species? Thank you very much if you already have.
Word of the day: gammon - a nice big piece please!
- Sunday Homecoming
Jul 14, 2006
- Hot Times Up North
Jul 12, 2006
- First Shower Since May 1st
Jul 08, 2006
- Last Day, Last Lunch, Last Camp
Jul 06, 2006
- A Tough Decision
Jul 05, 2006
- Rest Day - take 2
Jul 04, 2006
- Rest Day for the Weary
Jul 04, 2006
- Back in the USSR
Jul 02, 2006
- The Pole and a Messenger
Jul 01, 2006
- Almost
Jun 30, 2006
- More Seals?
Jun 30, 2006
- Worst to First to Mashed Potatoes
Jun 28, 2006
- Making Watery Progress
Jun 27, 2006
- A Paddle to the Pole
Jun 26, 2006
- Deep Thoughts
Jun 25, 2006
- Seals at the Pole?
Jun 24, 2006
- One Degree to Go!
Jun 23, 2006
- Laughing All The Way
Jun 22, 2006
- Happy Summer
Jun 21, 2006
- Our New Friend
Jun 20, 2006
- R & R
Jun 19, 2006
- Seal Sighting
Jun 18, 2006
- Nine Hard-Won Miles
Jun 17, 2006
- Energy Conservation
Jun 16, 2006
- Not Easy
Jun 15, 2006
- Chess and Chocolate
Jun 14, 2006
- It's all at 88
Jun 13, 2006
- Still Pressured Ice?
Jun 12, 2006
- Soft Snow Slow Go
Jun 11, 2006
- Snow and Ice
Jun 10, 2006
- Six Again and Sun
Jun 09, 2006
- Ice Puzzle
Jun 08, 2006
- On the Road Again
Jun 07, 2006
- Depot Day
Jun 06, 2006
- Waiting
Jun 05, 2006
- A Day at the Arctic Spa
Jun 04, 2006
- Houston We Have 87
Jun 03, 2006
- sunny day
Jun 02, 2006
- Half Way Birthday
Jun 01, 2006
- Poetry
May 31, 2006
- It was the best of ice, it was the worst of ice
May 30, 2006
- Ski Pole Comms
May 29, 2006
- Blizzard at 86
May 28, 2006
- Time
May 26, 2006
- A Seal?
May 25, 2006
- Rest Day
May 24, 2006
- Perspective
May 23, 2006
- Bon Appetit
May 22, 2006
- Rainbows and '85'
May 21, 2006
- Mud and Ice Mayhem
May 20, 2006
- Skiing in the Rain
May 19, 2006
- Trail Jargon
May 18, 2006
- Vacation Day
May 17, 2006
- frida
May 16, 2006
- the good, the bad and the great
May 15, 2006
- It's Worse
May 14, 2006
- more white out
May 13, 2006
- 84
May 12, 2006
- Daydream
May 11, 2006
- Not Easy
May 10, 2006
- Cheese Saves the Day
May 09, 2006
- Two Rabbits and a Cardinal
May 08, 2006
- Seven on seven
May 07, 2006
- Moving Forward
May 07, 2006
- May 5, day 5, 5 miles
May 05, 2006
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